3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Old Forms, Great Prayers, September 17, 2009
This review is from: Treasures Old and New: Traditional Prayers for Today's Catholics (Hardcover)
I've said before that one of the gifts post-Boomer Catholics are bringing to the Church is a reappropriation of faith traditions that were largely abandoned following the Second Vatican Council. While many of us never experienced the rosary, novenas or Eucharistic adoration as children, we are finding them invaluable practices as we grow into faith-filled adults. That today's young faithful are rediscovering and embracing these traditions -- in the context of their modern lives -- completes, in many ways, the promises of ressourcement and aggiornamento that were the hallmarks of the council.
Fr. Phillip Neri Powell's new book, Treasures Old and New: Traditional Prayers for Today's Catholics, sits comfortably within this movement. Consisting of novenas, litanies, a new rosary, a selection of penitential prayers, and short morning and evening prayers, Fr. Powell has produced a prayer book that blends ancient prayer forms with a modern spiritual sensibility. Far from an easy pietism, these prayers both enlighten and challenge the reader to enter more deeply into the teachings of the Church.
Fr. Powell, a Dominican, is especially careful to balance the affective aspects of these traditional prayers with a fidelity to the Church's theological tradition. Fr. Powell quotes generously from St. Augustine, St. Cyprian, Pope Benedict XVI, and other intellectual giants of the Church. The result is prayers that are "not only devotional, but catechetical as well."
I was especially intrigued by the Way-Truth-Life Rosary, a scriptural meditation on John 15:5-6. Instead of focusing on Christ's life, this rosary presents mysteries of his self-revelation. For instance, the "Mysteries of the Life" include
1. The Death of Death (Isaiah 25:7-8)
2. Exchanging One's Life (Matthew 16:26)
3. Losing One's Life (John 12:25)
4. Sacrificing One's Life (Mark 10:45)
5. Eating from the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)
If I had one complaint, it is that only some of the individual prayers have introductions. I enjoyed the background information and would have loved more "behind the scenes" thoughts on the theology of the prayers.
That having been said, Treasures Old and New is a welcome addition to my book shelf and I'm looking forward to two more promised volumes of prayers from Fr. Powell!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice gift, April 9, 2010
This review is from: Treasures Old and New: Traditional Prayers for Today's Catholics (Hardcover)
The title of this book is very apt, it is full of treasures. This is both a "prayer book" in the sense that Fr Powell gives set texts for prayer and also a prayer book in the sense that it promotes a certain practice of prayer. It's as much about a right understanding of praying as particular nice formulations (although these are really lovely). I would recommend it to anyone, but it would make an especially nice gift for someone newly confirmed or received into the church, for a student going off to college, or really for any occasion. There are a lot of sentimental, frankly worthless books sold as gift items; this is a small but pretty book that has real value as a devotional aid. Why settle for less?
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